Customer Service - sponsored by W.C. Duke Associates, Inc.

Plan for Profit

By Cheryl T. Duke

Don't forget to include persons with disabilities as part of your customer relations and marketing strategies. You have the chance to make money by targeting an overlooked consumer group with great market potential. It just makes good business sense to offer accessibility and appropriate customer service to people who have income to spend want an incentive to spend it.

Opening the doors to the disability market begins with your facility's physical accessibility. Equally important is an awareness of their requirements and an attitude of respect for their special needs. To be successful, your awareness has to be equal to your access.

The key is increasing the comfort level of managers and employees, teaching them practical skills in how to serve guests with disabilities, knowing the appropriate language, and sending the correct messages. This directly relates to the ADA requirement of "modifying policies, practices, and procedures to avoid discrimination."

Keep in mind persons with disabilities are as diverse as the population at large, but share common experiences. They are cautious consumers who demonstrate tremendous loyalty to those businesses who make the effort to provide courteous service and appropriate accommodations. They have a tremendous network that spreads the word about places that are "disability friendly" or that aren't.

Also they are a consumer group whose size is growing with the aging of America. As Baby Boomers age, the probability of developing a disability or chronic illness increases. By 2013, one in every four persons will be over the age of 65. The aging of America guarantees this market will grow in size and spending power.

The bottom line is Hospitality 101: If you take care of the customer, business will take care of itself. Persons with disabilities reward their loyalty to businesses that make a wholehearted commitment to help them achieve dignity, equality and independence. It becomes a partnership for profit. It is not only the right thing to do, it's just good business.